Prince Morinaga

• Died: 1335

Prince Morinaga was an Imperial prince and, later, shogun of the Kamakura shogunate.

His father Emperor Go-Daigo attempted to place Morinaga on the throne, but was opposed by Regent Hôjô Takatoki. Morinaga then took the tonsure, but when Takatoki tried to depose Go-Daigo, Morinaga rose an army against him. Morinaga was initially defeated, but rallied and rose up again. Following his defeat of Takatoki, he was himself named Shogun.

In 1334, Morinaga returned to Kyoto from Yoshino, where he was accused of plotting against Ashikaga Takauji and was arrested. In an effort to avoid stirring up further resistance, however, they returned Morinaga to Kamakura. He was killed the following year.

References

• Arai Hakuseki, Joyce Ackroyd (trans.), Told Round a Brushwood Fire, University of Tokyo Press (1979), 288n21.